An 8-year-old Siberian tiger from Heilongjiang, who likes to roll in mud and is covered in black, has repeatedly failed in “blind dates”.

An 8-year-old male Siberian tiger named “Er Mitai” in Heilongjiang Siberian Tiger Park recently became the center of attention after his entire process was photographed by tourists after he went on a blind date covered in mud but was rejected by a female tiger. Park staff confirmed that “Ermatai” is the equivalent of a 40-year-old human. Although he is in his prime and looks good, his excessive fondness for rolling in mud pits and his dirty image are deeply ingrained in the hearts of his teammates. In recent years, he has been out of several relationships and is still single.

According to China News Weekly, Ermatai, born in 2018, has loved rolling in mud pits since childhood and his body is always covered with a thick layer of mud. The park said the Siberian Tiger Forest Park is close to the natural environment and does not force tigers to mate and breed. During the estrus period, tigresses may mate on their own. Although the park cleans it regularly, it often becomes dirty again in the afternoon after being washed in the morning. At the beginning of 2024, there was a tigress who was willing to let him follow her, but now this relationship has been broken. Recently, even though he cleaned himself up to get closer to the cub, he was ignored because of the deep impression of “tatai” (Northern dialect, meaning impure) in the past.

Seeing the photo of “Er Matai” covered in mud and failing on a blind date, worried tourists and netizens left messages and ridiculed her, “Er Matai, please be more careful. What do they want from you? Because you are big? Because you don’t bathe?”, “What a nice tiger, why can’t you find a partner?” Some netizens joked, “The first impression on a blind date is very important. I usually don’t cut down on my appearance, and it’s useless to wash my hair temporarily.”

The background shows that the Siberian Tiger Forest Park provides a natural environment of water and soil for tigers. When summer is hot, tigers soak in water to cool off. In winter, mud pits freeze and become clearly visible. Animal experts say that many animals, such as hippos, elephants or Sambar deer, take mud baths to avoid mosquitoes and cool down. Mud is usually not of negative nature. However, most wild Siberian tigers live alone, and finding a mate involves complex conditions such as territory, scent marking, and breeding status.

Although “Er Matai” has faced repeated failures in the love market, its personality without any idol accessories makes it a superstar in the park. In the face of concerns from spectators and tourists, the park revealed that the physical and mental indicators of “Er Matai” are completely normal. Now he is still lying leisurely on the rock in the park. He seems to be quite calm about the external pressure of getting married and continues to live his independent life.